Je savais or j’ai su? Knowing and finding out in French
Compare je savais, j’ai su and je n’ai pas su répondre through a short conversation, a meaning table and four questions with explanations.
In short
Je savais means “I knew”: the knowledge was already there. J’ai su often means “I found out”: it marks receiving information. With an infinitive, j’ai su répondre means “I managed to answer”.
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Does j’ai su mean “I found out”?
Je savais que la réunion était annulée.I knew the meeting was cancelled.
Focus: knowledge already in place
savoir in the imparfait + information
Je savais que la réunion était annulée, alors je suis restée chez moi.
I knew the meeting was cancelled, so I stayed at home.
J’ai su que la réunion était annulée.I found out the meeting was cancelled.
Focus: the moment the information reaches you
savoir in the passé composé + information
J’ai su que la réunion était annulée en lisant ton message.
I found out the meeting was cancelled by reading your message.
- Léa
Tu savais que la réunion était annulée ?
Did you know the meeting was cancelled?
- Sami
Non, je ne savais pas. À neuf heures, j’ai su qu’elle était annulée.
No, I didn’t know. I found out it was cancelled at nine.
- Léa
Moi, je le savais depuis hier soir.
I’d known since yesterday evening.
- Sami
Quand j’ai su la nouvelle, j’étais déjà en route.
When I found out the news, I was already on my way.
Léa describes knowledge she already had. Sami describes getting the news. Depuis hier soir gives the starting point of Léa’s knowledge; à neuf heures places Sami’s discovery. The verbs tell you what happens to their knowledge, while the time phrases place it in the story.
What does savoir + infinitive mean?
| French | English | Focus |
|---|---|---|
| Je savais répondre à ces questions. | I knew how to answer those questions. | An existing ability |
| J’ai su répondre à sa question. | I managed to answer her question. | Success on that occasion |
| Je ne savais pas quoi répondre. | I didn’t know what to say. | Being at a loss |
| Je n’ai pas su répondre. | I couldn’t find an answer. | Failure on that occasion |
| Je l’ai toujours su. | I always knew it. | Knowledge lasting across a period |
Je l’ai toujours su is a useful expression to keep whole. Here, translate su as “knew”. For the discovery meaning, J’ai appris la nouvelle ce matin is another natural way to say “I heard the news this morning”.